Great Teachers, Great Courses...

Students in Health Care Economics with Dr. Trevor Knox learn how to be more than just a spectator in the health industry.

Health care and the economy are two topics at the forefront of election-cycle debates. Students in Health Care Economics with Dr. Trevor Knox learn to look past the big budget issues and see how health care policies and practices affect them as individuals.

“I believe that students at a liberal arts college like Muhlenberg form an understanding of how things work,” says Knox, assistant professor of accounting and economics. “Muhlenberg students get a serious, practical business education. It’s the best of both worlds.”

Knox prefers graphic models, real-world examples and lively discussion in his classes. His students work on several projects over the course of the semester; one such course studied the different costs of both over-the-counter and prescription medication with or without insurance at a variety of area locations.

“It’s a real eye opener for the students,” says Knox. “They found huge price differences at the different locations.”

The class focuses primarily on the economics of health care in the United States, but occasionally international projects will pop up, such as the recent examination between the numbers of prescriptions issued in the United State compared to Japan, where most doctors are also pharmacists.

Knox, who has a reputation with his students as being both very intelligent and a lot of fun, feels compelled to engage his class.

“We have a lot of fun,” says Knox. “I love the give-and-take with Muhlenberg students. I try to give them a lot of flexibility as to what we discuss in class.”

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